#Cultural Heritage 非遗中国# Tongcao flowers, seen in every season in Yangzhou, a city in east China's Jiangsu Province, are crafted from tongcao, the smooth pith of tongtuomu, a medicinal herb. These handmade flowers are well-known for their soft texture, elegant colors and realistic appearance. In 2007, Yangzhou's craft of making tongcao flowers was added to the first group of items on the list of intangible cultural heritage of Jiangsu. Zhu Xin, a city-level representative inheritor of Yangzhou's craft of making tongcao flowers, began learning the traditional craft under Dai Chunfu, a provincial master of arts and crafts, and provincial-level representative inheritor, in 2011. Zhu adheres unwaveringly to a fundamental principle: The "spirit" of tongcao flowers must never be lost. She remains committed to the traditional techniques passed down by her master; yet, she strives to expand the possibilities for tongcao flowers, so the time-honored craft does not merely "survive within museum walls," but thrives and reaches a global audience in the new era. (Photos from Interviewee, Source: Women of China)